So I need to clarify, my impatient little doves. A lot of you were upset about Castle entertaining this girl at the table. It was going to be explained later but I will lay your fears to rest now so that you don't have hellhounds come drag me away. Castle is famous. And playboy Castle has a reputation of being friendly. This girl just came and sat down across from him and you know Castle is too polite to say 'get lost'. He was waiting for Kate to show up so that this chick would leave. Haven't you guys ever had someone who literally will NOT take a hint or leave you alone? (I have. It's awkward.) This will all be explained later by Castle and obviously, he's not some two timing douche. And for those of you upset about Kate crying and walking away, this chapter will explain all that.
The song for this chapter is White Horse covered by Jess Moskaluke.
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Disclaimer: I don't own Castle or its characters. But the day that I own Nathan Fillion (in any character role)… that'll be a good day.
Chapter Five: White Horse
"What happened," Lanie asked quietly, pouring Kate another glass of wine. Kate sniffed through her tears.
"I got to the restaurant and I went to sit with him and there was already someone in my seat." Lanie's glass froze on its way to her lips.
"Are you serious?" Kate laughed humorlessly.
"Yeah. And get this: she can't have been more than sixteen. I'd even peg her closer to fourteen."
"Gross! Are you sure he was with her?"
"They were talking and then she reached over and wiped at his cheek and he didn't stop her."
"And it wasn't his daughter?"
"No. It was definitely not his daughter. It was disgusting, Lanie. I mean he passed me over for… for… Jailbait!"
"Oh, Jailbait; I like that! Yeah, I'm calling her that." Kate giggled and then sighed.
"I feel so humiliated. I mean, first I break down in an alley and bawl my eyes out and then I put myself out there and agree to go to dinner with him only to have him try to two time me with Jailbait. What was his game? Was it to play me? To hurt me? Does he do this all the time?" The wine was definitely kicking in.
"Oh sweetie, I don't think that's what it was. I'm sure this is just a whole misunderstanding."
"No, Lanie. It's not like I think he'd actually do anything with Jailbait. It's more that she was in my seat, that he didn't have her leave. And even if it wasn't anything more than that, I agreed to go to dinner with him because he broke through my walls, Lanie. All these walls that I built after my mom's murder and my dad's addiction have protected me from having to get attached, to feel. And he ruined them. I mean h-h-he got me to c-care!" Kate sobbed into her arm. Lanie scooted closer to her friend and rubbed her back soothingly.
"Oh, Kate. I'm sorry, honey."
"I mean it wasn't enough that he s-saved me! Then he had to g-go and be all ch-charming. I wouldn't be here without him. Wh-when he asked me, I was so surprised. I was flattered, Lanie. I hoped… I hoped," she said, voice deadening by the end of her sentence.
"Katharine Beckett, you are the most wonderful, giving, kind, loyal woman I have ever met and if that blockhead doesn't realize it, then he needs to have his head checked because you are a catch. You are the catch!" Kate managed to smile through her tears, wiping at her face viciously, attempting to rid her feelings as easily as she was the moisture on her cheeks.
"I'm just… I'm done, Lanie. I can't keep up with the hero worship. I appreciate what he did for me, but I can't keep living in this dream world where the man who wrote these books is a hero. He writes about heroes; it doesn't mean he is one. I'm done. Captain Montgomery told me a job in homicide finally opened up. I think I'm going to go for it. It's time for a change. It's time to move forward and try and move past what happened to me."
"You go, girl. Just don't push yourself too hard. And look, Kate, I know you're upset about what this guy pulled on you. But his books saved you. Just because you hate the author, doesn't mean you have to hate the hero."
"I won't. I will always be grateful for what Derrick Storm did for me. But it's time for me to bury my head in bringing justice to the victims. It's time to stop being the victim. And, hey, we still have ladies' night every Wednesday," Kate promised.
"Damn right we do. You try and cancel on me and so help me, I will murder you myself. And I'm an ME so I know how to get rid of a body or any proof of my involvement." Kate laughed loudly, finally dispelling the tension and heaviness of the prior moments.
"I think I'm going to cut my hair," she said thoughtfully.
"That's the wine talking," Lanie said, pouring them both another glass. "You wouldn't ever cut your hair. You like your hair."